Bradford & District | Archive | 2001 | September | 27
From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Thursday 27th Sep 2001.
VISITORS to the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway at the weekend were taken back in time to the dark days of the Second World War.
Troops travelling on trains, civilians dressed in period costume, the Women's Royal Voluntary Service tea stall, and an unexploded bomb all added to the atmosphere at the popular annual event, now in its third year.
Railway staff and some visitors were carrying gas masks as required by the regulations of the time.
The award-winning Bolton Abbey Station at Bolton Abbey was transformed into the headquarters of the British Home Forces and operated
frequent train services between there and Embsay.
Although wartime regulations on food rationing would have caused problems with stocking up on food at the time,
visitors to the event were able to take advantage of a restaurant car on Saturday and Sunday with cafés operating at Bolton Abbey and Embsay
stations.
Stephen Walker, the railway business manager, said that organisers were delighted with the turnout of around 2,500 visitors, which was slightly up on last year.
He said that there had been worries that people might have been put off by foot and mouth disease restrictions and the recent events in the USA.
There were also 200 members of
re-enactment societies from all over the country who took part in the event.
Mr Walker said he was pleased that many people taking part stayed for the full two days, meaning that bed and breakfast accommodation in the area got a welcome boost after the poor summer caused by disease restrictions. "It has become quite a big event and we will be running it again next year," Mr Walker said.
The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is run by the volunteers of the Yorkshire Dales Railway Museum Trust. It features special events such as the Wartime Weekend throughout the year. The next special event features the Santa Trains in November and December.
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